A motorcyclist allegedly speeding on Westsyde Road crashed shortly after a Mountie activated his lights and siren and turned his patrol car around in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop

The province’s police watchdog is investigating after a crash in Westsyde this week sent a motorcyclist to hospital with serious injuries.

According to the Dawn Roberts, BC RCMP communications director, at 4:20 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3, a Kamloops Mountie was conducting speed enforcement on Westsyde Road, near Westsyde elementary, the school that re-opened this week after being closed since 2006, leading to a return of a 30 km/h school zone in the area.

Roberts said the officer saw a motorcycle travelling toward him in excess of the speed limit. As a result, she said, the officer activated his lights and siren and turned his patrol car around in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop.

“Soon after, the police officer located the motorcycle further down the road at a collision with a pickup truck,” Roberts said. “The male driver of the motorcycle was transported to hospital, suffering from serious injuries. The individuals in the truck were uninjured.”

Roberts said the scene of the collision with the pickup truck was examined by Kamloops Mounties and has been completed. The local detachment’s investigation into that portion of the incident is ongoing. Police are asking for any witnesses or individuals to call 250-828-3000 and reference file 2019-30648.

As a result of the incident, the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIO BC) is investigating to determine whether police actions or inactions are linked to the man’s injuries.